XN000022-1988-03-16 — Page 38

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988

ON A CLAUSE IN THE BILL EMPOWERING THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE ALLOCATION TO RESERVES AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO DIRECT THE AUTHORITY TO PAY ANY SURPLUS TO THE GOVERNMENT, MRS CHOW SAID MEMBERS ACCEPTED THE FORMER AS AN OPERATIONAL NECESSITY AND FOUND LATTER AN ACCEPTABLE PROVISION.

IT WOULD ENSURE A BALANCE BETWEEN AUTHORITY IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC IT SERVED AND WIDER PUBLIC.

THAT

THE

THE INTEREST OF THE THE INTEREST OF THE

INDEPENDENT TRUST FUND ADVOCATED

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT TRUST FUND FOR CHANNELLING ACCRUED SURPLUSES OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY INTO DEVELOPING BETTER PUBLIC HOUSING AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AMENITIES, THE HON HUI YIN-FAT ADVOCATED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXAMINE AND APPROVE THE ESTIMATES FOR THE 1988-89 FINANCIAL YEAR.

HOUSING

COUNCIL BE GIVEN AUTHORITY'S BUDGET

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR HUI SUPPORTED THE HOUSING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1988 BUT EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE BILL DID NOT PROVIDE FOR SUFFICIENT CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN FORMULATION OF HOUSING POLICIES.

HE COMMENTED THAT, WITH THE REORGANISATION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE APPOINTMENT OF AN UNOFFICIAL TO BE THE CHAIRMAN WAS ABOUT THE ONLY MAJOR CHANGE IN THE AUTHORITY'S MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE.

"ONE WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT AN OVERALL RESTRUCTURING OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WOULD BRING ABOUT SOME ELECTED MEMBERS AS WELL AS APPOINTED MEMBERS REPRESENTING A WIDER SPECTRUM OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING POPULATION, HE SAID.

MR HUI ALSO SAID THAT THE WHOLE ISSUE HAD BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY AND PROCEDURES, AND HE CRITICISED THE ADMINISTRATION FOR NOT KEEPING A PROMISE TO CONSULT THE OMELCO HOUSING PANEL ON THE REORGANISATION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BEFORE LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.

"MOREOVER, THE APPOINTMENT OF AN EX-CIVIL SERVANT TO BE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN PRIOR TO THE PASSING OF THE AMENDMENT BILL BY THIS COUNCIL NOT ONLY TENDS TO REINFORCE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S SUSCEPTIBILITY TO TOE THE GOVERNMENT LINE, BUT ALSO CREATES A LOOPHOLE IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES," HE SAID.

/MR HUI